The a16z Show

Artificial intelligence has taken the world by storm. But despite the hype around personalized avatars or podcast language translation, artificial intelligence is not only impacting the creative spheres; in fact it’s hard to find an industry that isn’t being touched by this technology – and defense of our country is far from excluded. In this episode, originally recorded in the heart of Washington DC this January during a16z’s American Dynamism Summit, a16z General Partner Martin Casado and a16z enterprise editor, Derrick Harris are joined by the first-ever CTO of the CIA, Nand Mulchandani. In this wide-ranging conversation, they discuss the evolving relationship between analysts and AI, how governments can keep up with this exponential technology, and finally, how it’s impacting both offense and defense.   This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, national security, and policy-making in the age of artificial intelligence. Stay tuned for more exclusive conversations from a16z's second annual American Dynamism Summit in Washington DC.   Topics Covered: 00:00 - Intelligence in the Age of AI 02:28 - Rethinking Jobs and AI's Asymmetric Power 05:00 - The History of AI in the Intelligence Community 07:00 - Operational Utilization of AI 10:40 - Analytic Capabilities and Uncertainty 12:56 - AI's 'Hallucination' Concerns 16:37 - Analyst Skill Sets and AI Tools 26:29 - Supply Chain and Open Source 31:35 - Public-Private Partnerships 41:33 - Government as a Customer and Partner in Tech 42:43 - Policy, Technology, and Regulation   Resources Learn more about AD Summit 2024: www.a16z.com/adsummit Watch all of the stage talks at AD Summit 2024: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM4u6XbiXf5pAKmk1AeZ9964KGScf4lHM Read the CIA’s announcement around the new CTO role: https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/cia-names-first-chief-technology-officer/ Find Nand Mulchandani on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nandmulchandani Find Martin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/martin_casado Find Derrick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/derrickharris   Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The last few decades have been a period of transition for defense. An increasing number of startups have begun to rival large defense primes, the industry has gradually become a calculus of both hardware and software, and exponential technologies have forced the DoD to rethink how it has  traditionally done business. These changing conditions were some of the inputs to resulting in the DIU – Defense Innovation Unit – starting in 2015 within the Department of Defense, focused on accelerating the adoption of technology. In this episode recorded at a16z’s American Dynamism Summit in January, a16z General Partner Katherine Boyle is joined by the Director of the DIU, Doug Beck, plus two critical founders ushering in this new era of defense: Brian Schimpf, cofounder and CEO of Anduril and Brandon Tseng, cofounder of Shield AI. So what does the next wave of defense innovation really look like? Let’s find out.   00:00 - The Future of Defense Innovation  03:30 - The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) 05:45 - Adoption of Startup tech by the DoD 07:42 - Acquisition, Budgeting, and Contracting 13:17 - Traditional Primes vs Startups 14:25 - Cost-Plus Fixed Fee Contracts 20:11 - The Replicator Program 22:26 - The New Threat Environment 27:11 - Scale and Readiness for Modern Warfare 32:15 - Procurement Reform and Feasibility 39:30 - Success Metrics for Defense   Resources: Learn more about AD Summit 2024: www.a16z.com/adsummit Watch Brian’s stage talk at AD Summit 2024: https://a16z.com/securing-americas-future-how-technology-companies-and-washington-are-building-a-safer-world/ Watch all of the stage talks at AD Summit 2024: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM4u6XbiXf5pAKmk1AeZ9964KGScf4lHM Find Katherine on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KTmBoyle Find Brandon and Shield AI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shieldaitech Find Brian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/schimpfbrian Find Doug and the DIU on Twitter: https://twitter.com/diu_x   Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.   Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

American Dynamism. A term coined by a16z General Partner, Katherine Boyle, two years ago, when she and David Ulevitch founded the firm's American Dynamism investing practice. Beyond a sector or movement, American Dynamism embodies innovation, community, and a unique philosophy touching every facet of American life. In this episode, we hear from 10 voices, including policymakers, founders, and funders, as they share what American Dynamism means to them. They discuss the critical technologies shaping the future and the challenges on the path to the next decade of dynamism.  Stay tuned for more exclusive conversations from a16z's second annual American Dynamism Summit in Washington, D.C.   Resources:  Find Dr. Kathryn Huff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/katyhuff Find Nand Mulchandani on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nandmulchandani Find Doug Beck and the DIU on Twitter: https://twitter.com/diu_x Find Mitch Lee on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dontmitch Find Ian Cinnamon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IanCinnamon Find Doug Bernauer and Radiant on Twitter: https://twitter.com/radiantnuclear Find Chris Bennett on Twitter: https://twitter.com/8ennett Find Mike Slagh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeSlagh Find Rahul Sidhu on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rahoolsidoo Find Wyatt Smith on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wyatt_h_smith Learn more about American Dynamism: https://a16z.com/american-dynamism   Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You might recognize the name Mark Pincus but we almost guarantee you recognize the game Farmville.  Mark Pincus is the founder and longtime CEO of Zynga, known for its massive global franchise of games, including those household names like Farmville and Words with Friends. Zynga was also at the forefront of the transition to mobile and the use of large platforms like Facebook for distribution. In this episode Mark joins Josh Lu from the a16z Games team for a fireside chat. They discuss navigating major tech waves and recognizing "true signal" opportunities, and explore a wide range of topics, from the strategic insights that propelled Zynga to success, the future of the Metaverse, and the philosophy behind minimum viable products.  This conversation offers invaluable insights for both gaming industry insiders and enthusiasts looking to understand the dynamics of tech innovation and entrepreneurship. Topics Covered: 00:00 - How Zynga Spotted the Mobile Wave 02:47 - Challenges of Starting Zynga 05:24 - Zynga's Early Workforce and Learning HTML 07:40 - Preparing for Tech Waves 11:29 - The Importance of Being Too Early 15:42 - The attribute of great founders 18:33 - Hiring Philosophy  22:02 - ‘Everyone is  a CEO’ 24:20 - Fast Iteration and Learning from Failures 31:06 - Personal Gaming Preferences 32:52 - Advice on Reevaluating Projects and True Signal 35:50 - AI's Role in Consumer Adoption and Gaming 40:17 - Community as a Core Element 43:31 - UGC Gaming Space and Future Computing Paradigms Resources:  Find Mark on Twitter: https://twitter.com/markpinc Find Josh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshlu Learn more about SPEEDRUN 3.0: https://a16z.com/speedrun3 Learn more about SPEEDRUN: ttps://a16z.com/speedrun-your-gaming-startup Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In early 2024, the notion of high fidelity, believable AI-generated video seemed a distant future to many. Yet, a mere few weeks into the year, OpenAI unveiled Sora, its new state of the art text-to-video model producing videos of up to 60 seconds. The output shattered expectations – even for other builders and researchers within generative AI – sparking widespread speculation and awe. How does Sora achieve such realism? And are explicit 3D modeling techniques or game engines at play? In this episode of the a16z Podcast, a16z General Partner Anjney Midha connects with Stefano Ermon, Professor of Computer Science at Stanford and key figure at the lab behind the diffusion models now used in Sora, ChatGPT, and Midjourney. Together, they delve into the challenges of video generation, the cutting-edge mechanics of Sora, and what this all could mean for the road ahead. Resources:  Find Stefano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/stefanoermon Find Anjney on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anjneymidha Learn more about Stefano’s Deep Generative Models course: : https://deepgenerativemodels.github.io Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The electric grid needs an update.  In this explainer, a16z Partner Ryan McEntush discusses the escalating complexity of the grid, unveils its vulnerabilities, and traces the evolutionary path that has led us to this point. From the surging demands of AI to outdated infrastructure, we delve into the potential roles of cutting-edge technologies such as solar batteries, natural gas, and nuclear power in shaping the grid's future. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (02:28) - The Need for Grid Modernization (04:43) - Understanding the Grid's Operation and Challenges (06:47) - The Complexity of Grid Management (08:31) - Increasing Outages and Volatility (11:49) - The Role of New Technologies (17:53) - The Potential and Limitations of Renewable Energy Sources (19:08) - Energy Storage Solutions (24:57) - The Future of Natural Gas and Nuclear Power (29:46) - The Impact of Policy on the Grid (31:47) - The Concept of a Smart Grid (34:04) - Decentralization of the Grid (36:57) - The Role of the Free Market in Grid Reliability Resources:  Find Ryan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmcentush Read Ryan’s latest articles: https://a16z.com/author/ryan-mcentush Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"The Ben & Marc Show" features a16z's co-founders Ben Horowitz & Marc Andreessen. In this episode, Marc and Ben continue their in-depth exploration of the current education system. While Part I of their discussion unpacked the crisis facing higher education, Part II presents solutions to overhaul the modern university. In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc delve into actions that existing institutions can take to improve their current and future situations. This includes exploring new methods for talent recruitment, providing a more individualized education experience for students, and reducing administrative bloat. They also apply an entrepreneurial lens to each university function, revealing startup opportunities poised to emerge – including the building of brand new institutions, nonprofits, and research entities. Enjoy! Resources: *Watch Part I: https://youtu.be/7J2_G4oHRQ0 *Watch Part II: https://youtu.be/EeIdalo2huI Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz “South Park” episode mentioned in this discussion: – Eps 1505 (stream on Max): https://bit.ly/3HrZQg0 Stay Updated: Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

with @cdixon @rhhackett Welcome to the web3 with a16z crypto podcast. I'm Robert Hackett, an editor here at a16z crypto, and I'm here with Chris Dixon, founding partner of a16z crypto and author of the new book Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet.  I had the privilege of editing Chris throughout the book writing process, and I'm thrilled now to talk to you about what went on behind the scenes, the big themes of the book, the challenges, and also about the crypto industry at large as well as what we can expect from it in the future. Learn more at https://readwriteown.com/. Resources for references in this episode: Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse "'It's a canon event' TikTok trend, explained" Chris Dixon's blog at cdixon.org"Come for the tool, stay for the network" "The next big thing starts out looking like a toy" "Can't be evil" The Cold Start Problem by Andrew ChenOn Andrew Chen's writing habits On investing in Coinbase in 2013 Guidance from the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission in 2019: "Framework for 'Investment Contract' Analysis of Digital Assets" On blockchains as "a programmable computer that lives in the sky" via a16z crypto head of research Tim Roughgarden Gödel Escher Bach by Douglas Hofstader "How Aristotle Created the Computer" by Chris Dixon for The Atlantic "A Symbolic Analysis of Relay and Switching Circuits" by Claude Shannon Principia Mathematica by Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead An Investigation of the Laws of Thought by George Boole The End of Education by Neil Postman "Inside out vs. outside in: The adoption of new technologies" by Chris Dixon "The Inevitable Showdown Between Twitter and Twitter Apps" by Chris Dixon "Elon Musk says X is discouraging links in posts" by Sara Fischer "Make Ethereum Cypherpunk Again" by Vitalik Buterin "What Will Happen in 2024" by Fred Wilson "A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity" by McCullough and Pitts Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore On "thesis, antithesis, and synthesis" and Hegel's Dialectics As a reminder, none of the following should be taken as business, legal, tax, or investment advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 2022 and 2023, US IPOs hit decade lows after the record high of 2021. Now, in 2024, will the IPO window reopen? In this episode, we revisit a conversation with Jeff Jordan, former CEO of OpenTable, and J.D. Moriarty, the former Head Managing Director and Head of Equity Capital Markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Joined by Sonal Choksi, the pair takes you behind the scenes to unravel the complexities surrounding IPOs, including pricing, allocations, and the elusive "pop." They also discuss OpenTable’s IPO, which occurred immediately following the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, and weigh in on the question: Can you time an IPO in an unpredictable year?   Resources: Find Jeff on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeff_jordan Find J.D on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdmoriarty Find Sonal on Twitter: https://twitter.com/smc90   Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(00:00) - The Future of Jobs (03:15) - Job growth over the last 80 years (05:06) - The shelf-life of jobs (09:11) - Education trends (12:25) - The importance of learning the foundations (17:18) - Regional access to education (20:19) - How companies are hiring and looking at strategic priorities (22:58) - The economic mobility and economic stability of degrees  (25:59) - Job and training trends at Grow with Google (28:11) - Do companies train or hire for skills? (29:23) - The future of the traditional degree (31:10) - The employer and educator ecosystem  (35:36) - How to approach upskilling    In a world where technology is moving at an unprecedented pace, what will the jobs of the future look like? Kai Roemmelt, CEO of the online learning platform Udacity, and Lisa Gevelber, a key figure at Google responsible for building the Grow with Google program, unpack the seismic changes reshaping the tech and education realms. From disrupting hiring norms to redefining how we acquire degrees and engage globally, this episode poses the question: How can you skillfully navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities awaiting in this evolving landscape? Resources:  Find Kai on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kai-roemmelt Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagevelber Learn more about Udacity: https://www.udacity.com Learn more about Grow with Google: https://grow.google Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg   Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.